Published 5:00 am, Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Sage Rosenfels racked up 1,684 passing yards in nine games, four of those as a starter, in 2007.

Sage Rosenfels racked up 1,684 passing yards in nine games, four of those as a starter, in 2007.

Photo: Brett Coomer, Chronicle

Texans QB Rosenfels knows place: sideline

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A year ago, the Texans had two inexperienced quarterbacks with minimal starter-worthy credentials. Not that it mattered, in the case of Matt Schaub. Acquired in a trade with Atlanta, he was awarded the job by default over the incumbent No. 2, Sage Rosenfels.

Today, the Texans have two more experienced quarterbacks, both now possessing viable starter’s résumés. Again by default, Schaub remains the man, a potentially contentious decision if he struggles in the least.

But the 30-year-old Rosenfels enters his seventh preseason as a backup with his head up and mouth zipped, determined to show himself worthy of the job even if Texans coach Gary Kubiak has officially decreed it’s not open to him.

“I compete with myself,” Rosenfels said. “It’s like golf. I’m trying to shoot the best score I can shoot every time I go out there.”

If there’s tension between the men Kubiak calls his “No. 1 and No. 1A quarterbacks,” it’s well-hidden. If Rosenfels, who re-signed with the Texans in the offseason assuming he’d get a reasonably fair shot, feels misled about his predetermined place in the pecking order, he won’t verbalize it.

“Matt and I get along great,” he said. “I think we both want what’s best for the team. We both know Kubiak runs the show. I just want to win. If we’re winning, that’s all that matters.

“I hope Matt plays all 16 games. But if he can’t, I have to be ready.”

Making believers

Suffering a variety of injuries, Schaub played in only 11 games in 2007, and Rosenfels was summoned to finish two of those. Against Tennessee at Reliant Stadium on Oct. 21, he fired four fourth-quarter touchdown passes and had seemingly brought the Texans back from certain defeat before they lost on a last-second field goal.

Rosenfels also started for the last month of the season as the Texans finished 3-1 to complete their first break-even season. It’s hard to find fault with anything he did, save for a three-interception afternoon at Indianapolis.

But Rosenfels completed 20 passes over the final 18 minutes for 281 yards and those four scores. There’s no way to not build off such a performance.

“The confidence is there,” he said. “I know I can do it. And I think my teammates believe in me. I think of myself as a starter, even if I’m not the starter.”

Can come on in relief

It’s a comforting situation for the Texans, assuming the minefield of a “quarterback controversy” can be sidestepped. As first-year offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan notes, the Texans’ game plan transitions seamlessly between Schaub and Rosenfels because their skill sets are similar. And Rosenfels has proved himself to be an especially effective relief pitcher, which may be the best argument for keeping him second on the depth chart.

“Sage knows he’s good enough to be a starter, and he knows we know he’s good enough,” Shanahan said. “But everybody knows their role. Matt’s our guy, and Sage is the backup. What’s important is that we can count on him to fill that role. We don’t miss a beat if Matt goes down.”

Schaub, 27, went down several times last fall, ultimately having to miss the final fourth of the season when he dislocated his left shoulder, an injury that required offseason surgery. Although he performed impressively in patches, his durability remains an issue.

That’s why the Texans were hugely relieved to retain Rosenfels, who perhaps eschewed opportunity elsewhere because he sees opportunity hidden around the next bend in Houston.

Nice stats in limited time

Under Kubiak’s system, he passed for 1,684 yards and 15 touchdowns despite making just five starts. Obviously, the system works for him.

“Another year in this offense,” Rosenfels said, “another year of making our throws against certain coverages. ... You can’t put a price tag on experience.”

There’s nothing remotely unpleasant about his relationship with Schaub, either.

“These guys like each other and respect each other,” Shanahan said. “It would be hard if Sage didn’t respect Matt as a player or if Matt didn’t respect Sage, but that’s not the case.”

Rosenfels will play more against the Denver Broncos on Saturday night than Schaub. This is normal for a first exhibition. Since August is the only time of the year Rosenfels’ reps are guaranteed — and it gets him used to charging off the bench cold — Rosenfels enjoys the preseason.

Nonetheless, he’s no less eager than Schaub is for the regular season to arrive, even if it means being sentenced to more standing around, waiting for something to go haywire.

“We’re in the monotony part (of training camp), where you have to find ways to really motivate yourself,” Rosenfels said. “Fortunately, this year it’s not hard to find ways. We all see how good we can be, and that’s what’s pushing us. We have the players to be among the good teams.”

Quarterbacks included?

“It’s not an assumption anymore (that they can both handle the job),” Shanahan said. “After last season, they both know they can do it.”